Indonesian president apologises for smoke haze

Workers at a construction site labour away as thick haze covers the city of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Photo: AFP

Indonesia's president has given a formal apology for the smoke from illegal fires that is spreading into neighbouring countries.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono made the apology in an unexpected speech.

"As the president of Indonesia, I apologise for what has happened and ask for the understanding of the people of Malaysia and Singapore," he said.

"We accept it is our responsibility to tackle the problem."

Indonesia has faced harsh criticism from Singapore and Malaysia as pollution levels have risen, forcing people indoors.

The head of the nation's disaster authority will take over efforts to contain the fires.

"Because the result from last week is not as we expected I have decided to increase the fight against the haze disaster," the president said.

"It starts with the command which usually lies within the provincial government. Now the head of national disaster management agency will take the lead."

Several companies have been named in relation to the areas where land is being burnt to prepare for new palm oil plantations.

However, the president says blame should not be assigned until after investigations.

Indonesia has sought to extinguish the fires by using helicopters and planes for water-bombing and cloud-seeding, which chemically induces rain, but officials say the efforts have so far had little success.

Smog from Sumatra is a recurring problem during the June-September dry season, when plantations and smallholders set fires to prepare land for cultivation despite a legal ban.